Happy 4th of July

Okay so we started our celebration yesterday. The day started out with me heading out on the bike with Dad yesterday, not so good! I ended up having to have RC come pick me up because I pushed too hard too soon! Then Mom and I took the kids to this park that has a water section! The kids had so much fun! Grandpa came and joined us and we let the kids play for about an hour and a half. Then we came home and rested, then headed out to do some errands, and then headed to Kaboom Town (ranked in the top 10 best Fireworks in the nation) in Addison. We had a lot of fun! Well I took tons of pics (way too many to post here) so click here to go see the pics!

200th Post

Wow I can not believe that this is my 200th post. Most people have little giveaways for such a thing but sorry I don't. I do have an update with whats going on in our lives...

RC is doing awesome. He is playing guitar at our church Lifepointe Fellowship. He loves getting to help lead worship. He is more determined than ever to get in shape. He is so strict on his stuff that it makes me want to rebel on mine. Yes he is still totally into bicycling! I think somedays its the only thing that keeps him sane!

AC has now officially graduated from 1st grade into 2nd. He loves school and is still at the stage that he doesn't look forward to summer. We are going to keep him busy by having a learning time everyday. We will take 2 hours out of everyday to have some reading, math, writing and computer time. He can't wait to get to the library and get some books to read.

Trace is so excited. He asks me every morning if today is the day he gets to start kindergarden. I tell him no and he is so disappointed. He loves to sound things out and LOVES to write!!! We will be working really hard on his reading and writing this summer. He will be doing the same things as AC.

Andrew is so excited about his latest accomplishments. He is wearing big boy underware. Thats right we are potty training. He would be interested for a day and then not. Take a trip and he wanted to go everytime the big boys went. A few weeks ago we made a chart gave him goals and he has completely embraced it!!! We are still working on the harder parts but he is doing so awesome!!! His goal now is to earn a guitar!!!

Kailey is well Kailey! She is my rough and tumble little Miss Priss! I know some of you are looking at this and thinking how can she be both because you normally get one or the other well my daughter has figured out how to be both! She is the one that if her brothers take a toy away I have to pull her off of them because she has tackled them and his letting them know she doesn't appreciate the fact that they took her toy away. She is also the one who LOVES LOVES LOVES to shoe shop! Yes at 18 months old my daughter has found a deep love for shoes. She picks them out and will let you know if she likes them. She is also the one who picks out her own clothes. I have always belived in giving my kids options but good grief this little girl. If she doesn't like what you put on her she WILL take it off and tell you NO. She then goes to her closet and tells you "Dat Dress". She is like I said my rough and tumble little Miss Priss!

Now for myself...

The bible study I mentioned a few posts before is really going great. We are now moving to meet every Wednesday instead of every other. We are starting a new study called "The Power of a Woman's Words" I am really excited about this! We have counted we are going to have somewhere between 10-15 women meeting.

I am praying about starting a bible study for working women as well. I know there is a really big need for this and I feel God leading me to start it. I do ask for your prayer on this because I do not have all the logistics down but I know that I don't have too because GOD is in control.

I am really enjoying selling my Premier jewelry! I love that I have finally figured out that I can be me Brittney! Now don't get me wrong, I love being mom and I love being wife but somedays I just need to know that I am more than that! With selling the jewelry I go and I am me Brittney the jewelry lady.

I am finally figuring out that I can wear all these different hats and know that even when I feel like the world is slipping out from under me that all I have to do is cry out because my heavenly Father is waiting there to catch me. Yes as you can see I have been really struggling with this. I feel God calling me to do more but satan whispers in my ear you have your hands full. I mean I do have my hands full. I have 4 beautiful children to raise, I have a husband that I need to be the best wife for, I have a bible study full of ladies that I took on the role of leadership and that means a lot, I have my business to build.... I think you get the point. But I realized in all of these things I can do NOTHING without God! I am who he made me to be and who am I to not desire with all my heart to do more for his purpose! Now my prayer is that I will listen to God to know what HE has planned for my life, if it is to take on more, if it is to let things go, or if it is to stay where I am right now for the time being. I don't know all of God's plans but I do know that he loves me and he wants me to be the Best he created me to be!!!

This post started out as a just an update but God really wanted me to share this because now it allows me to come back and read it! It serves if nothing more as a reminder to me that GOD is in Control!!!

GRANDPA JOHN

John Israel Olinger
97 years, 3 months, & one day
Born in Salem, SD January 13, 1912
Died in Sioux Falls, SD May 2, 2009

Grandpa John went home to be with the Lord this morning at 4:30am. With a sad heart for those of us hear on earth grieving the loss of this great man, we look up and praise the fact that he is no longer in pain and is HOME with the Lord of Lords and King of Kings! He is also being reunited with his wife and many others that he knew he would one day see again! I thank the Lord that he knows the number of hair on our head and that he knows the day, the hour, the minute He will bring us HOME to be with him.

Please pray for the family as we go about making arrangements for the traveling. Also please pray for those of us saddened by the loss, help us to remember that he is in a much better place and that he is no longer in pain! Pray for his 6 daughters: Joyce, Phyllis, Marilyn, Sheryll, Arlene, and Ede! Also pray for his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren!

Update on Grandpa John!

We just found out that Grandpa John is hemmoraging somewhere (he had to have 5 units of blood today), his blood pressure is down and he told his brother that "its time." Please pray for the family!

Urgent Prayer Request!

UPDATE:

Grandpa John survived the surgery and the surgeon thinks that he got all of the tumor (which was quite large) out of there. I am so glad that the doctor was willing to do surgery on an elderly man! Grandpa John is left with a very small bladder so he will still have to wear a catheter but at least now the bleeding will stop and he won't bleed to death-a very bad way to die they say. At this point we don't know if his cancer has metastasized out of the bladder wall-will have to wait to hear from pathology. He is in recovery and probably be in ICU for a few days and be in a lot of pain. If he makes it through the recovery process it will buy him some time. He did very much want to go to the 9th annual family reunion in May. Thanks so much for your prayers. Pray that the Lord eases his recovery as well. God is good.

Hey all I am coming to you asking desperately for your prayers! RC's grandfather John Olinger was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor a short while ago. We were told that the tumor was too large to remove and because of his age (97) he was too old to have his bladder removed. He has had to undergo several blood transfusions and has been in and out of the hospital. This morning he blew a hole in his bladder and is undergoing emergency surgery. We have been told he has a 50/50 chance of coming out of the surgery and Ede (RC's mother) told us that the doctors are saying that even if he comes out of the surgery he still will most likely only have a few more weeks to live. RC and I do not seem to have a way of getting to South Dakota for the funeral when it happens, his mother has offered to help but she does not have the kind of money lying around. This is really hitting RC hard and so I ask for you to lift him up in prayers. We know that he has lived an amazing life and he told his daughters that he trust the Lord completely and relying on him to decide when its time for him to go home! Please pray!

Today has been tough!!!

Today has been a rough day for our household. We came downstairs to find out that a friend of ours was the Pilot of flight 3407. My husband played in the church band with Marvin and his wife Sandy and I were friends through many church activities. My heart grieves at the loss of such a Godly, loving man! I ask that you pray for the Renslows and the others who lost loved ones in the tragic accident!

I had a great weekend!

This last week was a pretty good week. I thank those of you who prayed about Kailey's sleeping pattern. Last week went pretty good. We actually had two nights of her sleeping from 8:30pm to 5:30/6:00am. Wow it was so nice getting some sleep. When she does wake up either my mom or I go in give her her binkie and cover her up and leave. Last night she woke up and got her own binkie and went back to sleep. YEAH YEAH YEAH!

We have had a full house of sick people. Last Sunday night AC came down with a fever. He stayed home from school Monday and Tuesday. He went back to school Wednesday - Friday and then started feeling yucky on Friday again. He pretty much stayed in bed all weekend and is back at school Today. Trace started feeling pretty crappy on Thursday and still isn't 100%. Andrew threw up once and has had a headache but so far so good. Kailey thank goodness hasn't had any issues. RC has a toothache. Oh yeah and Friday, my dad came down with the crud and my mom did on Saturday. They spent the weekend in bed. Dad is doing better today but mom still is feeling pretty bad. Thank goodness for small miracles I have not come down with anything. I just pray that my system continues to hold out on getting sick because when Momma's sick it just flat ain't good!!!!

RC, the younger two kiddos and I got to go to church on Sunday. Then afterwards I was stopped by the pastor to find out if we were coming to the leadership meeting. (RC is in the band, and I am starting a bible study for stay-at-home moms. We start this Wednesday so here is another prayer request for you.) RC sent me and he came home to the two sick kiddos. I got home around 3:00pm and then was out of the house again around 5:00 for a Girls night! It was really fun.

Durring that couple of hours at home RC and I got some much needed alone time! It was nice getting to just reconnect as husband and wife! Here are some fun pictures we took! The second one is my favorite! Hope you all enjoy!!!!

What a Great and Mighty God we serve!!!!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

I have to start with this verse because wow oh wow has God SO exceeded all expectations. Previously I have asked all of you to pray for two very special babies. Baby Harper and Baby Brayden! Well I don't know if you all have been reading up on them so I thought I would update you.

Baby Harper: Praise you Lord! We lift our hands in Praise! Kelly and Scott get to take their beautiful baby girl home tomorrow!!!!!!! If you go back and read the updates you will see that while we may not understand why someone would have to go through something like this God uses it for HIS GLORY!!! Kelly has been contacted by several who have accepted the Lord as their personal Savior because they see the faith in Kelly and Scott. Wow! That is for His Glory!

Baby Brayden: The Lord is a mighty Healer! He is doing really well. They are still trying to get him to take a bottle. They will be running tests on Friday to find out why he won't take a bottle. There is no less Praise to be given here because Gods miraculous hands are at work in their lives and those around them as well. Do you realize that they are not just begging for prayers for themselves but begging their readers to Pray for the other babies!!!

There are several lessons here for you and me (this is being shared with y'all because I NEED TO HEAR IT MYSELF)! Through everything that goes on in our lives, the good and the bad, we never know who is watching. How we handle it can be a more powerful testimony than what we say to that person directly!!! 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Also this goes to show the amazing power of prayer! So please don't give up on prayer (even when you don't get the answer you are looking for!), and when you say you are going to pray PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRAY!!! In Ephesians 6:10-18 it talks about the Armor of God:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Notice that in the end it says to pray! Also in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

So please KEEP ON PRAYING!

Pray for:

Our troops!

Our President and other leaders!

Our Children!

Our Marriages!

Keep on praying for these precious little ones and those like them!

Just Keep on Praying!!!

Pics and a Prayer Request

Just a couple of quick pics. Some people might think it is completely silly but I have always longed to be able to paint my daughters toenails. Well up until now I just really haven't tried. Well today I sat her down (wow that child wiggles alot!!) and painted her little toenails pink. Sorry the pic is blurry but like I said she wiggles! TOOO CUTE!!! On another note I told y'all that last Tuesday was RC's 29th birthday. Well we really didn't get to do anything for his birthday. Well we were hosting a Super Bowl party so I decided to get a cake for him. Well he was at Walmart with me so I told him to pick out a cake. He picked out the following....

Yes it is purple with leopard print. I don't know why but my hubby wanted this one. He said he really didn't want a cake so if I was going to make him have one he wanted this one. Some of the guys who came to the party told him he lost a few man cards on this one! He is just too funny! Anyhow the kids really liked it even though Trace just couldn't get over the fact that his dad had a girl cake.

One more side note I ask for y'alls prayer. Kailey still does not sleep throught the night. In the last couple of weeks she has decided that about 1:30 to 3:30 am she wants to watch tv and play. Now for all of you who don't know I really like my sleep! I mean REALLY like my sleep so this just doesn't settle well for me. It is physically making me sick. Well I have decided over this week that I am going to try something new. I ask for prayer because this could very well be an extremely rough week for all who live in this house. Before it was just me affected by her being up, this week it could affect everyone because I am trying to let her cry it out. Last night was the first night of it and it went really well. I gave her a bottle about an hour before I put her to bed and then just laid her down at 8:45 and walked out. She fussed a little but then went to sleep. She slept until 4:00 and then fussed for a while. At 4:45 Grandma went in and told her you are okay, you are not getting a bottle, take your binkie and go back to sleep. Sure enough she did. So last night went pretty well, we'll have to see how the rest of the week goes.

Picture Tag!

The rules are:

1. Go to the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in the folder

3. Explain the photo.

4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun!

Here is my little Ladybug! She is 4 months old in this picture! (Kinda freaky about all the 4s) Anyhow we were trying to take a picture of her brand new ear piercings! She is sooo cute!!!

I tag whoever wishes to play along! (Please comment so I can go check yours out!)

First one of 2009 for me....

1. I'd really like a Latte from Starbucks right now.
2. Ouch (well and maybe a few other choice words but I am really trying not to use those!) is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.
3. Possession is 9/10 of the law.
4. Weird but captivating is how I would describe Captain Jack Sparrow.
5. Marshmallows and fire go together like camping and tents do.
6. The sibling fighting seems to go on and on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to trying to go to bed early, tomorrow my plans include time with my hubby and kiddos and Sunday, I want to go to church to help in preschool then take a nap and watch the superbowl!

Good Morning All!!!

Wow well lets first of all point out that I am married to a very handsome Man who turned 29 yesterday!!!! I feel so terrible because his birthday really kind of sucked! Poor guy! Yesterday not only did he have to work he also had to help with the kids and the laundry. (Yes he does help with the kids everyday but yesterday he and my dad got to deal with them just them!) Where was I you ask? I was in bed with a migraine! It was one of those that I got to throw up in the dark because I couldn't handle the light on in the bathroom. I was so sick I was pretty much useless. But Daddy and RC really stepped up to the plate and did the laundry and took care of the kiddos! They are pretty awesome guys!

Anyhow I have to show you what we woke up to this morning! Now remember I lived in Florida for 10 years so this girl has Florida blood running through her and I have to say, "IT'S REALLY REALLY COLD!!!"

One of Kailey's Christmas presents...

This is a video of Kailey Bear enjoying her Christmas present from Nana! She loves it and so do her brothers. I have to keep reminding them that they are too big for it!!!

Just a quick update we are doing well. AC got to go back to school today! He came home from school last Tuesday around lunch time sick, he then missed Wednesday and Thursday. Friday and Monday there was no school. You could tell he really missed the routine of school!!!!

Gotta brag on my little Trace. His Sunday school teacher stopped me after church and told me... She started their story telling them they were going to talk about three men and a fiery furnace. Trace started telling her about Nebuchadnezzar and the statue. She then allowed him to help teach the story to the entire class. She said he new it all. She told me that means I am doing a great job at home teaching him. I have to say its not just me its the fact that I have always had a great church family behind me helping me teach my children. They are even talking about moving him up to the older class because he does so well, they think he would do great with the bigger kids.

Andrew gave up the binky two weeks ago and is doing great. His Nana got him a spider man pillow case to go with his spider man bedding, pajamas and house shoes (yeah if you couldn't tell he is very much into Spider man). Well when we got home from Tampa, my mom put it on his bed, I came in a told him Oh no, anyone who has a spider man pillow can't have a binky. Spider man pillows are for big boys! He handed me his binky and at night he tells us he can't have a binky because he has his big boy pillow! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RC and I are doing well. We are going to a small group on Sundays and really enjoy it. He and my dad went to a Men's prayer and Worship thing last night. I am currently working with another stay at home mom (or as one of our friends put it Domestic Engineer) but we are starting a bible study in February for the domestic engineers. We are really excited about it. I get to announce it Sunday in church.

I ask you to pray for the Life Groups (which is what our church is calling the small groups)!

I ask your continued prayer for our family.

I ask you to continue praying for baby Harper and baby Brayden. Both are doing better but still not out of the woods yet.

PS: I'll add more pics from Christmas later, right now I gotta get off and take care of my kiddos!

Update

Just a quick update:

Kelly posted a praise!!! Harper seems to be doing lots better! She may not even have to have the bypass if she continues to improve. Wow What an amazing God we serve!

The other thing I wanted to touch base on is, I have had several emails asking me if the marriage thing has to do with RC and I. The answer is no! While we continually covet your prayers for our marriage we are doing good. We have the stresses of daily life and we fight but we are not in trouble. I do however know other marriages that Satan seems to be attacking so severely! I cannot give names but I beg of you to pray for the marriages of your brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are not believers!!!! Now is the time that Satan will try and tear the families apart and we must not allow him to win!!!

Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray

Dear Blogger Readers!!!

I have many prayer requests!

First of all I would ask you to pray for the marriages of all Christians! Satan is attacking the family hard and I know a few families personally that are under attack!!

Secondly I need your help in praying for a couple of my bloggy buddies. I have recently wrote a thing on hear about Kelly Stamps. She and her husband Scott tried for a very long time to conceive. Praise the Lord they did and delivered Harper today weighing 9 lbs 12 oz. She was having some trouble breathing, so they took her to the NICU to check her heart. They have had to incubate her - they are doing tests to see what's going on. Also, Kelly lost a lot of blood in delivery and has really low blood pressure. We would really appreciate your prayers for both mother and daughter. The new update says that they flew Harper to AR Childrens Hospital. UPDATE: They ended up flying Harper to Tulsa. They are running more test and then going to be doing a bypass. For updates on her go to Kelly's Korner!

Another one of Kelly's friends Jenna also struggled conceiving and once again their baby is having health issues. Baby Brayden was also taken to another hospital. They are currently not even allowed to speak or touch little Brayden because it could delay his progress.

Both of these women are calling upon their brothers and sisters in Christ, asking you all to PRAY PRAY PRAY!!! I know you don't know them but we all do know the amazing power of prayer! If you have any doubt in what God can do go look at this prayer blog (started by Kelly)! Check out the amazing praises!

Thank you all so very much for you prayers!